Apparatus for foot and ankle exercise



Aug. 18, 1970 W. D. HAZELITT, SR

APPARATUS FOR FOOT AND ANKLE EXERCISE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 26,1968 hizznml/Zozzurz: @5322, BY Su -Z M ATTORNEY United States Patent3,524,643 APPARATUS FOR FOOT AND ANKLE EXERCISE Willard D. Hazelitt,Sr., Rte. 3, Box 131A, Leavenworth, Kans. 66048 Filed Aug. 26, 1968,Ser. No. 755,049 Int. Cl. A63b 23/04 US. Cl. 272-83 3 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE A spring biased foot exercising device with associatedshoulder rests. The exercising device is detachably connected to a bedand in the normal operating position is transverse the bed so that theusers feet will engage the foot pedals while the users shoulders willengage the shoulder rests.

The invention relates to exercising equipment and particularly to suchequipment for use in exercising the legs, ankles and feet of the body.

A further object is to describe exercising equipment which can be usedin combination with any available household bed.

A still further object is to provide exercising equipment which can beused by persons of differing size that requires minimum adjustment whichanyone can do with little skill or effort.

A still further object is to provide exercising equipment which can beused by persons who possess different degrees of physical strength aswell as 'by persons who have either temporarily or permanently sufferedthe loss or the use of a part or all of the foot, ankle or leg.

Another object of this invention is to provide exercising equipmentwhich will occupy very little space and which will be inexpensive tomanufacture, simple to attach to a bed and effective in operation.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will becompletely and concisely disclosed and described in the followingspecifications, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the exercising equipment accordingto this invention attached to a bed and its method of use by a person ina completely prone position with legs extended;

FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1 but showing a person with his legsretracted;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view approximately on the line 33 of FIG.1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view approximately on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a foot pedal assembly andstrap-down means in accordance with this invention.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the reference numeraldenotes a part of the apparatus embodying my invention which I shallrefer to as the foot pedal assembly. Reference numeral 11 denotes theshoulder-rest portion of the inventive apparatus. The foot pedalassembly comprises an elongated upright member 12 approximately aboutthe length of the width of a bed having attached thereto in any suitablemanner at about right angles two plates 13 to support foot pedals 14.Support plate 13 is constructed to a size slightly larger than footpedal 14 which in turn is preferably slightly larger than a personsfoot. Near the free end of plate 13 on each side thereof there areattached upright mounting brackets 15 provided with openings throughwhich is placed spring pin 16 having circumferential grooves providednear each end 10- 3,524,643 Patented Aug. 18, 1970 washer 17. At one endof foot pedal 14 secured to each side thereof extending rearwardly thereare provided between brackets 15 extensions 18 having openings thereinthrough which spring pin 16 is inserted providing a means whereby footpedal 14 is pivotally mounted. Torsion coil spring 19 is fitted onspring pin 16 between the extensions 18 with one of its ends 20 restingon plate 13 and its other end 21 culminating on the underside of footpedal 14. Spring 19 is so arranged on pin 16 to cause foot pedal 14 tostand essentially upright when tension on spring 19 is relaxed.Depressing foot pedal 14 downwardly causes tension on spring 19 which inturn causes resistance to pressure exerted by the foot.

Toe strap 22 is provided with loops 23 transversely of its ends throughwhich guide rods 24 slidably receive strap 22 for adjustment to fitvarious size feet. The guide rods 24 located on each side of foot pedal14 at their ends are secured thereto by any suitable means. Toward theheel-end of the pedal a heel engaging strap 25 is provided with loops 26at each end to slip over tapered pins 27 frictionally engaged insuitable openings in plate 14.

To secure the foot pedal assembly to a bed as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, Iprovided two pairs of tie-down straps 28, one pair for each foot pedalplate 13. One end of strap 28 inserted through arch 29 suitably securedto plate 13 is provided with a loop 30 through which a pin 31 isinserted and which extends beyond each end of said loop and has a lengthgreater than the distance between the uprights 32 of arch 29 therebysecuring said strap end from pulling through said arch. The other end ofstrap 28 is threaded through two slots 33 and 34 in a bed frame clamp 35and held down neatly under strap loop 26'. Bed frame clamp 35 is ofJ-shaped design the longer arm of which contains belt slots 33 and 34and the smaller arm 37 adapted to hook on the frame 37' of the bed orsprings.

The foot pedal assembly 10 may be easily attached to a bed as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2. With the clamp ends 37 placed under the bed or springsframe the straps 28 are pulled taught slightly depressing mattress andsprings and the belt ends secured under belt loops 26'. The tension ofthe depressed mattress and springs aids in securing the assembly in itsdesired fixed position. By the aid of this simple adjustment forward orrearward of the assembly it will accommodate long or short persons orpersons who desire to exercise with their legs extended or retracted asshown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The shoulder rest 11 comprises a longitudinal plate 38 extending thegreater width of the bed provided with a series of openings 39 extendingfrom the center toward the ends thereof. A pair of hollow rods 40 arerigidly attached to plate 38 by inserting one end 41 of the rod intoopening 42 and threadably engaging said end of rod with self-tappingscrew 43 inserted through the opposite end of opening in plate 38.Sleeve 44 is threadebly or slidably (illustrated) engaged at one endwith rod 40 and adjustably secured thereto with locknut 45. The otherend 46 of sleeve 44 is externally threaded to threadably engage arcuateshoulder brace best illustrated in FIG. 4. For added comfort shoulderbrace 47 may be padded as at 48 with any suitably resilient material.Furthermore, one may pad plate 38 as at 49 and upsight member 12 as at50 to protect against marring the ends of the bed.

To set up my exerciser one adjusts the distances between rods 40suitably and comfortably to fit the shoulders of the user. Next thesleeves 44 are adjusted so that the head of the user will be at a safedistance from and not touching the end of the bed when his shoulders areengaged in the braces 47. It will be noted that braces 47 are orientedwith respect to the top of the bed so that one end thereof rests on thesurface of the bed. The foot pedal 3 assembly 10 is then suitablypositioned as desired as for example in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The user next reclines on the bed placing his shoulders in the bracesand slips the toes of his feet underneath the toe straps 22 positioninghis heels against the heel strap 25. He is now properly positioned toexercise the muscles and joints below the knees especially about thecalf, ankle and foot. If preferred one can move synchronously first onefoot forwardly and downwardly then the next, alternately, or just onefoot or both feet together rhythmically. It is to be noted that when thelegs are completely extended the ankles permit the feet to moveforwardly and downwardly only a limited distance and the closer to thebody the legs are drawn in, the more the feet can move eventuallycausing the pedal to depress to a position parallel to the plate 13.

It is therefore possible to adjust my exerciser to limit the degree ofmovement of the lower leg and feet joints and muscles. As desired orrequired adjustments may be made permitting increased ankle movementresulting in increased exercise by placing the foot pedal assemblycloser to the torso.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. Exercising apparatus comprising two elongated members adapted toengage the respective ends of a bed, one of said members comprising aboard, means for adjustably securing said board to a bed at variouslengthwise positions along the lower end thereof, said board havingattached thereto a pair of foot pedals adapted to be engaged by the feetof the user, and a pair of arcuate shoulder rests carried by the otherof said bed engaging members, said other bed engaging member beingadapted to be placed against the head piece of a bed.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said shoulder rests are adjustablyattached to fit various width shoulders.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said shoulder rests arelongitudinally adjustable to fit both longvand short statured persons.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,607,168 11/1926 Murphy. I 12,340,666 2/1944 Johanson 272 5s GEORGE J. MARLO, Primary Examiner i W.R. BROWNE, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 27258

